Friends for Life
CaraVita Home Care’s Memory Care Connection
Friends for Life
A passion for people is the foundation of our services at CaraVita Home Care—and that sense
of passion and purpose are what drive us to provide the best care possible for all our clients.
Our first priority in caring for anyone is to get to know that person and to understand how we
can best connect with him or her. We don’t let dementia get in the way of connecting with our
clients; we understand all people with memory impairments also have core strengths and
unique personalities. Getting to know and understand our clients allows us to guide them in
meaningful engagement on a daily basis—the same type of care and engagement we would
offer a best friend. We focus on the person, not the disease. CaraVita employees receive
special training in using the best cues and prompts to connect with each person’s inner
strengths. In using specific prompts and cues that vary from person to person, we create an
atmosphere where our friends find joy in routine accomplishments.
Life Story
Our Friends for Life program begins by gathering information about our clients so we
understand their life story. When we know who our clients are and what is important to them, we
can craft a care plan that best suits their needs. Rather than building a relationship based solely
on a diagnosis and care plan, our caregivers are able to build a relationship based on each
client’s personality, values, interests, motivators, and stress factors. Through that foundational
relationship, we are able to respect and celebrate each client’s individual personality. We can
incorporate favorite pastimes and daily habits into a functional schedule. Knowing the life story
also gives our caregivers a keen understanding of each client’s typical routine and behavior so
we can more easily identify and address any changes in behavior or disease progression.
Page | 1
Everything is an Activity
CaraVita caregivers have special dementia training to understand the effects of the disease on
daily functions. We know how important engaging activities can be for a client with a memory
impairment. Staying occupied with activities that generate a sense of purpose and
accomplishment can often alleviate feelings of confusion and frustration. Our philosophy of care
includes an “everything is an activity” mentality. Every opportunity to engage a client in any task,
from putting on a pair of socks to helping put together a puzzle, allows an opportunity for that
client to have success and a feeling of gratification. Our caregivers will give supportive
assistance, but will not take away a client’s abilities to achieve daily tasks. Any tasks a client can
perform without assistance is respected as a means of personal fulfillment. We celebrate those
abilities, and, in fact, clients who are encouraged with appropriate prompts and cues may be
able to recall old muscle memories and regain certain skills when practiced repeatedly.
A Functional Schedule and Environment
Having a functional daily routine helps allay feelings of confusion and frustration, so our
caregivers work to create a daily rhythm for clients involving waking, dining, favorite pastimes
and activities, personal care, and rest. This practical rhythm ebbs and flows throughout the day
with periods of high energy and periods of rest. Our caregivers keep the person we serve in
mind as we assist in planning a daily routine.
We also take into account the environment as a means to enhance the daily schedule. For
instance, spending time with clients in a room that lets in lots of natural lighting during the day is
important, as is low-light areas for resting.
The Power of Music
Music can elicit so many sensations. Music can put us in touch with old memories, can help us
recall old emotions, can help improve our moods, and can even help us get moving! Studies
have shown that music can also soothe both physical and emotional pain, and we all know that
music can overcome communication barriers. Our caregivers are trained to use music as a
means of connection with clients because of its sheer power as a healing and motivating force.
If you’re in doubt about the positive effects music can have, we invite you to view this video to
watch one man’s amazing transformation.
Families
Caring and educated family members are a key ingredient of our successful Friends for Life
approach to care. You know your loved one best and can help us get to know him or her. We can
be a resource to help educate family members about the dementia disease process, including
offering the Virtual Dementia Tour®. The Virtual Dementia Tour® was developed by awardwinning geriatric specialist P.K. Beville, founder and CEO of Second Wind Dreams, and is a
simulated dementia experience designed to help family members and caregivers provide better
care through better understanding. Our caregivers can also train family members to use
Page | 2
the same prompts and cues we use. Working together, we give greater comfort and quality of
life to your loved one.
What Makes Our Friends for Life Program a Success?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Dementia-specific training for staff
Individual client care plans that are updated regularly
Using our clients’ life stories as the foundation for their care
Activities based on client interests and abilities
Using environmental cues such as natural lighting
Family education
Knowing each client’s norm so we can quickly and appropriately address any changes in
behavior or condition
Using a practical daily rhythm
Page | 3